Southwest Detroit Hospital (1975) by Eberle M. Smith Assoc. The 1980s architectural guidebook I used on my trip states, "The building's materials were selected for lightness due to low bearing capacity of the soil and to resist industrial fumes generated nearby" Seems like the perfect spot for a hospital. I didn't even come close to going inside, but this article tells the story. Source: Robert Johnson for Pixable

Reynolds Metal Regional Sales Office (1959) by Minoru Yamasaki in Southfield (Detroit suburb) 1959 photo. The Northland Shopping Center is in the background. Packard Plant (1903) by Albert Kan I wanted to get the expected bombed out Detroit posts out of the way first. It's no secret that Detroit has suffered from decades of disinvestment. Things are bad, but there is so much potential. The city has a rich history and so much great architecture. The good stuffis coming up.

Northland Shopping Center (1954) by Victor Gruen Located in Southfield, MI, a Detroit suburb, Northland was the largest shopping center in the country. Alvin Lustig collaborated with Gruen on the identity and signage. Source: Laboratoire Urbanisme Insurrectionnel

It was a big deal. Life magazine even did a big spread on the opening of the center.

Alvin Lustig designed the logo and some environmental signage for Gruen. Image: Born Modern: The Life and Design of Alvin Lustig Lustig parking lot sign Image: Born Modern: The Life and Design of Alvin Lustig Source: Life Magazine, 1954 1956 photo of the Lustig-designed water tower located at the edge of the shopping center. Photo: Mike Grobbel Totem by Gwen Lux